The present invention relates to firelighters for solid fuel fires.
Lighting solid fuel fires constructed of coal, charcoal, peat and the like presents a number of practical difficulties since most solid fuels are slow burning and difficult to light but release appreciable amounts of energy when lit. The ignition of coal fires can be assisted by the use of commercially available firelighters. These are used by placing the firelighter block in the hearth where the fire is to be made, lighting the block and then placing coal on top of the firelighter block in an attempt to light the coal from the block.
In general, firelighters consist of a solid generally cubic firelighter block containing a petroleum-based fuel, typically paraffin/kerosene. In a typical firelighter, urea-formaldehyde is utilized as a curable resin, which is combined with the petroleum-based fuel. Petroleum-based firelighters typically have a bad odor before burning, and a sooty flame. Moreover, kerosene/paraffin fuels suffer from the major drawback that they are highly toxic, especially upon ingestion. Even the slightest quantities of these dangerous fuels are sufficient to give heavy lung damages, for example chemical pneumonia, which in worst cases may be mortal.
In the present invention, the petrol-based fuel in a firelighter has been replaced with a fatty acid ester fuel, typically C6 to C12 fatty acid esters. Firelighters based on C6 to C12 fatty acid ester fuel are non-toxic, have no significant odor, and provide a stable, long-lasting flame.